Fatal Decisions
by DreamsDeath-RaysAndAlchemy
Summary: Ed and Al have finally found the Philosophers stone, but when Ed falls ill will Al use the stone to save Ed and be stuck in the armor or will Ed use the stone and the rest of his strength to bring Al back to his body?
1. The Start

"Al come on, I have to give this one last report to the Colonel!" Ed said excitedly. Though he was not excited because of the report, he was excited about what was going to happen afterward.

They had finally gotten a hold of the philosopher's stone and Ed was going to return his little brother to his normal body.

There was one set back though; the philosopher's stone could only be used for one major transmutation. Al had tried to convince Ed to let Al give him his limbs back but Ed refused.

But Al was worried about Ed. He was pale, had trouble breathing sometimes, would have violent coughing fits, he slept longer and more often and it was harder to wake him up. He also wasn't eating as much, and even though he was eating he seemed to be losing weight. Ed denied that there was anything wrong with him though, but it didn't convince Al.

"Brother I still think you should go see a doctor"

"Al I'm fine, don't worry."

"Okay brother" Al replied, still not believing him. He seemed physically weaker too, and sometimes he couldn't even walk straight.

"Seriously Al don't worry, I feel perfectly fine." Ed told Al as he stumbled a little.

Al sighed, sometimes he wished Ed didn't care about him enough to lie about his own health, he really didn't believe him.

They entered Mustang's office without the usual angrily bursting through the door routine.

"What a rare occurrence, the pipsqueak coming in here without trying to break the door down"

Ed ignored the small comment.  
"Yeah well, you probably won't be seeing much more of me around here after this."  
Mustang looked up from his paperwork, surprised and confused.

I looked up at Fullmetal, confused by his remark.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm resigning"

Everyone in the office looked up at him. The office was on silence for a few moments.

"What?"

"I'm leaving the military. I got what I wanted now I don't feel the need to be a dog of the military anymore"

"You got what you wanted?" I asked still in shock

"I found the philosophers stone, I can get Al his body back."

I just stared at him; it's kind of hard to see this place without Ed's antics.

Then I noticed, Edward looked really pale, it looked like he was having the slightest bit of trouble breathing, his eye lids where drooping and he was swaying in place, just a little bit, like he was having trouble balancing himself.

"Fullmetal, are you okay?"

"I'm _fine, _why is everyone asking me that lately, its really getting on my-" He didn't have a chance to finish his sentence before a violent coughing fit took over.

The coughs got more violent the longer the fit lasted, and Ed fell to his knees and coughed for another couple seconds before he stopped and pulled his hand away from his mouth. With his other hand he held his chest, then he stared at his palm and his face changed from a "Crap" face to a shocked expression.

"Brother are you okay?"

Ed didn't respond and al started walking towards his brother.

He knelt down and grabbed his brothers wrist.

"Brother…" Al said sounding worried.

I got up and walked over to where they where both kneeling. Then I saw what was in the palm that Ed was coughing into, blood.

"Edward?"

Ed started leaning into Al's arm.

"Al?" He asked.

"Yes brother?"

"Al, I'm sorry" his voice was getting weaker, like he was straining to use it. "You where right" he whispered to Al, then he went limp.

"Ed!" Al and I yelled at the same time.

The others already where starting to gather around.

"Lt. Hawkeye, call an ambulance!"

I checked his vitals, they all seemed normal, but I'm not a doctor.

"Al carry your brother out front."

He picked up the limp body and quickly walked out of the room.

_You know, now I kind of hope this is something you accidentally did to your self again Edward, that way it might not be fatal_

But I know, with how he had coughed up blood, there was a very minimal chance that it could be., hell it could even be fatal. I shook my head trying to get the thought of the chance that Ed might die out of my head.

_Its nothing major, it can't be. Ed wouldn't let a sickness kill him._

I sighed.

_Like he has a choice if a disease kills him or not, but it would be sad after all he's done to hurt himself, to have something like that kill him._

_I guess we'll find out sooner or later._

**Can anyone guess what's wrong with Ed? If you do then you get a cookie, a giant one with frosting spelling out your username on it! **

**Damn now I want a cookie.**

**Ed: Why the hell did you make me sick!**

**Me: because I'm an evil daughter of a bitch.**

**Ed: I mean a cold or the flu I get but why did you have to make it so I might-**

**Me: *Covers Ed's mouth before he can say more* SHUT UP NO SPOILERS CHIBI!**

**Ed: WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL THAT A GRAIN OF SAND COULD SQUISH**

**Me: I never said that, but thanks for that insult buddeh!**


	2. The Problem

**Shortynameshouter597: Oh so very close… That was actually one of the illnesses that I was considering but it wasn't fatal if you got treatment… which he's at a hospital so I don't see why he wouldn't get treatment so…. Yeah**

**Wait a second…. _Alisha??!??!?!?!?! _ Is that you?! o.0 STALKER!!!! xDDDD  
**

**Monksea: Oh you have to read to find out… good thing its in this chapter xP**

**Very Swampeh: I'm not sure weather to be glad because you like it or scared because it makes you happy … xD Yay brotherly love ^.^**

** XXX  
**

Al and I walked into the hospital. It was the day after Ed had been admitted, we couldn't come earlier because they where going to be running tests and they didn't want us there. We walked up to the front desk.

"Excuse me, which room is Edward Elric in?"

"Edward Elric" She repeated "He's in room 209, he supposedly hasn't woken up yet though"

"Thank you"

"He hasn't woken up yet" Al said sadly.

"They probably have him drugged up or something Al, don't worry" I comforted him, though I don't think it did much good.

There was a doctor walking out of his room, when he saw us he walked up to us.

"Are you here for Edward?" He asked.

"Yes."

"How is brother doing?" Al asked, a little frantic.

The doctor sighed.

"I think it would be better if Edward told you himself, but I do have a few questions"

Al sighed, he really wanted to see his brother.

"Don't worry, it shouldn't take too long. So how has Edward been the past couple weeks?"

"I haven't seen him that much, but he did seem a little weak and pale when I saw him"

The doctor looked over at Al, waiting for an answer.

"H-He hasn't been eating as much, still a healthy amount though, but he seemed to keep losing weight though. He has been sleeping a lot more and it's harder to wake him up. He has a lot of coughing fits too."

"Any reason you didn't bring him in earlier?"

"He denied there was anything wrong with him and refused to go"

"I see"

I spoke up "Is his condition bad?"

"Not at the moment no" He looked between us and Ed's room door "Maybe I should go in with you"

"Why? Are you expecting something to happen?" I asked

"No, its just" he stopped himself "You'll find out, come on"

Al pushed the door open. Edward was lying on his stomach, his face buried into the pillow.

"Brother?"

Ed stayed where he was.

"Is he even awake" I asked.

"Yes he is."

"Edward get up." I said sternly.

He didn't move

"That's an order Fullmetal"

"Colonel…"

"What do you want Colonel Bastard" a muffled voice asked.

"I want you to get up and face us"

"What's wrong brother?"

"Everything" He stated so quietly I could just barely hear him.

Edward slowly sat up, but he wouldn't look at us.

"What happened Fullmetal?"

"Stop calling me that, I'm not going to be in the military much longer"

"Full- Ed are you sure you want to resign?"  
"Al's getting his body back, that's what my goal was. That was the only reason I joined, now that I know I can do it I don't need to be a dog of the military anymore."

"Why don't you wait until after you get Al's body back to resign?"

"Because it won't matter either way!"

"Why not what if it doesn't work"

"Don't say that! It has to work and it's going to! We spent so long finding a way; I'm not letting you trick me into believing it won't work!"

"Brother why are you getting so worked up about it anyway?"

Ed stayed silent; the doctor was just standing there. He looked a little confused but didn't bother saying anything.

"Brother did they find what was wrong?"

Ed just turned his head away from his brother, hiding his face. But that brought his face into my view. His jaw was clenched and his eyes where red like he had been…

"Have you been crying Edward?" I asked, and he continued to say nothing. But the silence was soon interrupted by one of Ed's coughing fits. The doctor grabbed a glass and poured some water into it. After Ed's coughing had subsided he handed Ed the glass of water. Ed slowly drank it and gave the glass back to the doctor.

"Brother why won't you say anything?"

Ed just ducked his head, now neither Al nor I could see his face.

"Mustang, it doesn't matter if I wait or if I don't to resign, either way I wont be able to return."

"What do you mean Edward?" I asked.

He said nothing, not wanting to say it, not having the willpower to say what's wrong with him.

"I thought he would be more willing to tell you about his condition."

"What's wrong with him!?" Al demanded an answer.

The doctor grabbed a manila folder and turned on the lights that they used to show patients X-rays. He put up a couple things, but they didn't look like X-rays

"When he was brought in we did a CT scan on his lungs." He pointed to something on the results of the "CT scan "we found this."

It was a darker spot and it looked like someone just made a void on the inside of his lung. "It's a tumor. Its to big to be removed surgically. Your brother has fatal lung cancer"

"No…" I said shocked. Al said nothing he was to surprised too.

There was a quiet thump, I looked over at Edward. He was once again lying on his stomach. He was sobbing ever so slightly, hoping no one would notice.

"Ed, why didn't you say anything, why didn't you let me just take you to the doctors earlier then they might have been able to remove the tumors!"

"I-I never t-thought it was t-this bad Al" Ed stated, his voice shaking a little.

"You can't die brother, you can leave me here alone!"

"I'm sorry Al, I'm going to use the stone and get you your body back then I'm going to die."

"Perhaps we should leave these two alone"

"Yeah" I agreed and slowly walked out the door.

Ed's POV

Ed and Al watched the two men leave then continued.

"No brother" Al started. "I'm using the stone to cure you"

Ed looked up at Al.

"No Al! We finally found a way to return you and we might never find another stone!"

"Yes brother but you will never find another life!"

"Al, If I get you your body back my mind can finally rest."

"Of course its going to rest if you use the stone on me, because you'll be dead!"

"Al I might die anyway!"

"At least you wouldn't die giving up like this!! You would fight to the end even if you knew you where going to die, but now you are just giving up your life!"

"I'm giving up my life to give you a human one!"

"I rather be stuck in this armor with you by my side then to be human again knowing you just gave up like this!"

"Al just listen to me!"

"No you listen to me brother!"

"It might not work for me! I have a disease! I know for a fact that your body is on the other side of the gate!"

"Yeah and what if you can't give enough for the equivalent exchange for my body Ed?!"

"I'm going to die anyway; I'll give my body for yours that should be enough"

"Brother…"

"As I said Al I'll get you your body back then die, or die then get your body back either way I'm dying Al."

"You can't just give up though! There was a slim chance of us getting the philosophers stone but you didn't give up then!"

"I almost did Al, a few times. Want to know what kept me going, the slim chance that I would get you your body back!"

"But you have your life to keep you motivated this time brother!"

"I'm sorry Al, but my life isn't enough to keep me going. Especially knowing I might die anyway. It would be a wasted use of the stone then. I'm sorry Al but that's how its going to be, I'm not changing my mind, not this time"


End file.
